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Did you serve aboard the USS Oriskany? This aircraft carrier carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Oriskany, hull number CV-34, was an aircraft carrier, built by New York Naval Shipyard (NYNSY) and commissioned in 1950. She served through Mediterranean deployment, Korean War, and Cold War Pacific Fleet. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Oriskany, CV-34 — insulated and sealed with asbestos. Each shipyard overhaul and major repair meant asbestos insulation was torn out and replaced — peak-exposure work for the yard workers and the crew aboard. Exposure was worst in the engineering spaces, where the snipes worked — but asbestos lined the whole ship, so all hands were exposed. The companies that made the asbestos equipment aboard — not the Navy — are who asbestos claims are brought against. According to asbestos litigation records, the equipment aboard the USS Oriskany from makers such as Warren, and Crane Co. allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Oriskany and were later diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related disease, you may have a legal claim against the companies that made the asbestos products used aboard your ship. This is educational information from an independent publisher — not a law firm — and is not legal advice.
USS Oriskany (CV-34) is a documented U.S. Navy aircraft carrier with asbestos-exposure evidence in the public litigation record. The equipment manifest below was assembled from depositions, expert reports, and manufacturer interrogatory responses filed in U.S. asbestos litigation that reference equipment installed aboard this vessel.
Equipment Manifest
| Equipment | Manufacturer | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relief Valves | Crane Co. | NAVSHIPS 331-0406 Master Parts Book for USS Oriskany (CV-34) | |
| Back Pressure Valves | Crane Co. | NAVSHIPS 331-0406 Master Parts Book for USS Oriskany (CV-34) | |
| Spring Loaded Valves | Crane Co. | NAVSHIPS 331-0406 Master Parts Book for USS Oriskany (CV-34) | |
| Combination Feed Stop & Stop Check Valves | Crane Co. | NAVSHIPS 331-0406 Master Parts Book for USS Oriskany (CV-34) | |
| Strainers | Crane Co. | NAVSHIPS 331-0406 Master Parts Book for USS Oriskany (CV-34) | |
| Circulating and Chilled Freshwater Pump, Type 1-SED-6 | Warren | CV-34 Class Project 27 Alpha Improvement Program Number 1; Warren, Mass. manufacturer per instruction book | |
| Deaeration feed tank guide vanes | Elliott | Replacement of Elliott Deaeration feed tank guide vanes (ShipAlt CVS56) | |
| evaporator brine overboard pump | Warren | Order N-35608, headsheet dated May 22, 1962 | |
| distiller freshwater pumps | Warren | Order A-17540, headsheet dated July 26, 1943 | |
| refrigerating circulating pumps | Warren | Order A-17546, headsheet dated July 27, 1943 | |
| freshwater circulating pumps | Warren | Order A-17722, headsheet dated April 29, 1943 | |
| evaporator tube nest first effect drain pump | Warren | Order A-17543, headsheet dated July 27, 1943 | |
| impeller pullers | Warren | Order A-17668, headsheet dated July 27, 1943 | |
| chilled freshwater pumps | Warren | Order A-25311, headsheet dated December 26, 1951 | |
| Circulating Chilled Freshwater Pump, Type 1-SED-6 | Warren | CV-34 Class, Project 27A, drawing R-182 | |
| Saltwater Circulating Pump, Type 1-SED-6 | Warren | Drawing R-153 | |
| distiller circulating pumps | Warren | Order A-17529, headsheet dated July 23, 1943 | |
| evaporator feed pump | Warren | Order A-17535, headsheet dated July 26, 1943 | |
| auxiliary machinery cooling water service pump | Warren | Order A-17517, headsheet dated July 22, 1943 | |
| Boilers | Babcock & Wilcox | 12 | Per DANFS (Oriskany-class characteristics); public domain |
Note: this manifest is derived from public asbestos litigation records (depositions, expert reports, manufacturer interrogatories) rather than primary BUSHIPS construction documents. Entries reflect what has been documented or alleged in publicly filed legal records.
Documented Asbestos Exposure Record
Propulsion plant and insulation
USS Oriskany (CV-34) was an Essex-class carrier built 1944/1945–1950.
Valves
and Leslie Controls as principal valve manufacturers aboard Oriskany:
- Crane Co. — steam valves supplied to the Navy during World War II and incorporated into Oriskany’s steam-propulsion system; deponents describe valve maintenance (removing flanges and valve internals) as a routine source of gasket and insulation exposure
- Leslie Controls — steam reducing valve for the firemain, boiler controls, and steam reducers; a 644 psi–350 psi reducer documented as a specific Leslie product aboard the ship
Work activities generating asbestos exposure
- Scraping insulation off equipment with a chisel, knife, or wire brush
- Re-packing valves and pumps
- Removing insulation during repair/maintenance — producing “a lot of dust”
Documented crew (ratings and officers)
- Lieutenant (Main Engine Junior Officer, then Boiler Division Officer) — supervised equipment repairs in the engine and boiler rooms; developed mesothelioma and died in 2005 at age 62; the case reached the appellate level against a valve manufacturer, with the appellate court reversing a trial court judgment
- Engineering crew member — worked in Oriskany’s boiler and engine rooms; co-worker testimony describes valve repacking and insulation removal
Service periods documented in litigation
- June 1965 – August 1966 — service period connected to the mesothelioma diagnosis documented in publicly filed litigation
- 1966–1968 — dry dock repair work following the October 26, 1966 flight-deck fire that killed 44 crew members; Oriskany repaired at Hunter’s Point, CA naval shipyard; workers involved in the post-fire repair were exposed to asbestos during insulation removal and replacement
Litigation outcome
An appellate decision arising from USS Oriskany asbestos litigation (referencing John Crane, Inc. v. Scribner, 369 Md. 369, 800 A.2d 727 (2002)) is a significant precedent in Navy valve asbestos litigation; the appellate court reversed a trial judgment, with further proceedings on officer-status and gasket-work issues.
Veterans who served aboard USS Oriskany (CV-34): Service in the engineering spaces, boiler rooms, or engine rooms — or work during the 1966–1968 post-fire repairs at Hunter’s Point — may support a VA asbestos claim, a civil lawsuit, or trust fund recovery.
Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956
All consultations are free. No fee unless a financial recovery is made on your behalf.
References to equipment, asbestos products, and litigation history reflect what has been alleged or documented in publicly filed asbestos litigation. This does not constitute a finding of fact or liability. This site does not provide legal or medical advice.
The asbestos-containing products documented on U.S. Navy vessels and at shipyards are catalogued by manufacturer on AsbestosIndex. These records cross-reference which companies supplied which materials and to which facilities.
Navy Ratings Most Exposed to Asbestos Aboard Oriskany
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the public asbestos litigation record document that the following Navy ratings worked routinely in spaces where ACM was installed, maintained, ripped out, and replaced:
VA Disability Claims for Asbestos-Related Disease
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs evaluates asbestos claims individually. A veteran generally needs medical evidence of a current asbestos-related disease, service evidence supporting in-service asbestos exposure, and a medical opinion connecting the two. Ship assignments, Navy ratings, and equipment records can help document the exposure history but do not create automatic service connection.
Approved claims may provide monthly disability compensation and related benefits. Survivors may separately qualify for Dependency & Indemnity Compensation when the applicable requirements are met. Civil lawsuits and asbestos-trust claims use different standards; claimants should obtain individualized advice about how the processes interact.
How to file a VA disability claim: VA claims are filed directly with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs — not with a law firm. Start at VA.gov › Hazardous Materials Exposure, call 1‑800‑827‑1000, or get free help filing from a Veterans Service Organization: DAV, VFW, or American Legion.
VA Claims Guide on This Site › Compare: VA vs. Civil Lawsuit
Source notes: equipment-manifest entries (where shown) are sourced from public-record BUSHIPS (Bureau of Ships) documentation, NARA archives, and the public asbestos litigation record. Manufacturer attributions link to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Nothing on this page constitutes medical or legal advice.
